LIBRARY OF CONGRP<:<: 

014 422 309 3 



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PRESERVATION OF FOOD 



CANNING, PRESERVING 
DRYING 

AND 

PRESERVING OF EGGS 



Issued by 

AGRICULTURAL DIVISION 

OHIO BRANCH 
COUNCIL OF NATIONAL DEFENSE 



D. of D. 
AUG ?0 1917 



' /A (qO I 



'.J 



''?//'^ 



Compiled by the 

HOME ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT 

The Ohio State University 



PRESERVATION OF FOOD 



In view of the general food shortage and of the shortage of sup- 
plies for commercial canning, it is important that fruits and vegetables 
be preserved by some means — canning, curing or drying. Food must 
not he allowed to go to waste. The uncultivated plants, such as dan- 
delion, mustard, sour dock, pepper cress, purslane, may be canned for 
greens, as may the leaves of beets, turnips, radishes, horseradish, rhu- 
barb and rape. Clean parings of fruit may be boiled and the liquid 
canned to be used in gelatin or cornstarch puddings, for sausage and for 
summer beverages. Fruit juices are too valuable to be thrown away. 
A surplus of rhubarb, gooseberries, or wild fruits like grapes and ber- 
ries will yield juices that can be used in many ways. It is worth while 
to can material for soups — vegetable purees (the cooked vegetable 
mashed thru a strainer), mixtures of chopped vegetables and stock 
made by boiling meat bones and trimmings. When there is a surplus 
of green tomatoes that will not ripen, they may be canned and used the 
same as the ripe ones. The midrib of the leaves of Swiss chard may be 
canned and used as a vegetable. 

Foods spoil because minute plants called micro-organisms grow on 
them. These plants are known as bacteria, yeasts and molds. The aim 
in preserving foods is either to kill these plants or to create a condition 
in which they cannot grow. The processes are known as canning, drying, 
refrigeration and curing. Curing may be accomplished with sugar, salt, 
vinegar and spices. Chemicals, often known on the markets as canning 
powders, are sometimes used but their use is unjustified, because of their 
questionable effect on health and because they are unnecessary when 
the food is of good quality and properly handled. 

When there is a shortage in the supply of sugar and a surplus in 
the supply of fruits, the fruits should be canned without sugar. Sugar 
is not necessary to accompHsh thoro sterilization. 



CANNING 



OPEN-KETTLE OR HOT-PACK METHOD 

The food material is cooked thoroly and is packed, boiling hot, into 
hot, sterilized jars and sealed. Fruit canned by this method will keep 
but vegetables will not. For any purpose, the method has these objec- 
tions : 

1. Flavor may be lost. 

2. The food material may be crushed in the handling. 

3. It requires standing over a hot stove while filling the jars. 

INTERMITTENT OR THREE-DAY METHOD 

The food material may be packed, uncooked, into clean, cold jars, 
or may be blanched and dipped as in cold-pack method. The rubbers 
and tops are adjusted so as partially to seal, then the jars are placed in 
water and boiled or steamed for a certain length of time. The jars are 
sealed, allowed to stand for 24 hours, and again boiled for the required 
time. This is repeated on the third day. This method is used suc- 
cessfully with vegetables, but it does require somewhat more fuel and 
handling than the cold-pack method. 

COLD-WATER METHOD 

Only sour fruits like sour cherries, rhubarb and gooseberries can 
be preserved by the cold-water method. They are cleaned, packed un- 
cooked into a clean cold jar. The jar is filled to overflowing with cold 
water and sealed. Unless a shortage in sugar warrants it, this method 
has no advantage over other methods. 

COLD-PACK METHOD 

In the cold-pack method of canning the food material is blanched, 
that is, cooked for a certain length of time in boiling water or steatn, 
and is then cold dipped, that is, quickly dipped into cold water. It is 
then packed into clean hot jars. Hot water or sirup is usually added, 
the rubbers and tops adjusted so as partially to seal, and the cans are 
placed in hot water which completely covers them 2 or 3 inches. They 
are boiled for the required length of time and sealed. It is tills method 
that is recommended and that is described in this bulletin. The advan- 
tages of this method are : 

1. It does not require long standing over a hot stove. 

2. The blanching in some cases reduces the bulk so that more may 
be packed in a can. 

2 



3- The quick change in temperature between tthe boiling and the 
cold water in the blanching and cold dipping process is supposed to 
create a condition favorable to the death of micro-organisms. 

4. It is a safe method for canning vegetables. 

EQUIPMENT 

It is convenient and rather an encouragement to do canning to have 
set aside a few utensils to be used for this one purpose. The list should 
include the following: Half-pint measuring cup, paring knife, basin, 
tablespoons, teaspoons, kettle. 

A colander or a wire frying basket may be helpful. 

A duplex fork or coal tongs is best for lifting cans out of the hot 
water. 

A strong wire may be bent with a hook at one end to use with the 
spring top jars or a par.cake turner may be bent so as to slip under the 
jars and thus lift them. 

Cheesecloth or some other thin cloth is needed for blanching and 
cold dipping, if the wire basket is not used. 

Cans and rubbers and the canner, or sterilizer, complete the outfit. 

Steam Pressure Canner. — The steam pressure canner is made 
so that when closed steam does not escape. This causes a pressure 
which raises the temperature above 212 degrees, the boiling point of 
water. Because of the high temperature, the time required for steriliz- 
ing is shortened and in this fact lies its advantage. The home size is 
usually made large enough to hold as many as a dozen quart cans and 
costs about $15.00. Another type, made to use out of doors, is larger 
and more expensive. It would be useful when large quantities are 
being canned as in clubs or neighborhood groups. 

Directions for using the steam pressure canner may be procured, 
free of cost from the States Relations Service, U. S. Department of 
Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 

Homemade Hot- Water Bath. — This kind of a canner can be 
prepared in any home and with little expense. There must be a container 
with a close fitting cover and a false bottom. The container may be a 
wash boiler, a lard can, a new garbage can, or any straight-sided pail. 
The false bottom is required to keep the cans off the bottom of the con- 
tainer so as to allow a free circulation of water about them. It may be 
constructed of laths nailed together with cross pieces or it may be of 
perforated cake tins. Wire broilers or cake coolers serve the purpose 
nicely. The tinner can make a good one by cutting a piece of galvanized 
tin a little smaller than the size of the bottom of the canner, perforating 
this with one-inch holes, and soldering on the under side some points 
that will raise it up one inch. Two strips of tin may be fastened at 
opposite sides, made a little shorter than the height of the canner, and 
when hooked at the top act as handles with which to lift the false bottom. 

Cans and Jars. — Tin cans with tops requiring the use of sealing 
wax are not used with the cold-packed method. Tin cans with tops re- 
quiring solder can be used, but require special equipment for soldering. 
The procuring of tin cans is likely to be difificult on account of the 
shortage of the supply of tin. Glass jars are always most desirable for 



home use. Any type of glass jar may be used with the cold-pack 
method. The types may be described as follows : 

Screw top jars have tops to be screwed on. The kind which has a 
screw band and a separate glass top is much better than the old style of 
one piece top. 

Spring top jars have glass tops that are clamped down by metal 
wires. 

Vacuum seal jars have metal tops with a rubber-like material on 
the edges that eliminate the use of rubber rings. During sterilizing the 
tops are held in place by light clamps. 

Rubbers. — All rubbers should be elastic and not too thick. When 
purchased, they should be tested to see how much "pull" they have. 
Their color makes no difference in the quality. Good rubber is not in- 
jured by several hours' boiling. 

TERMS USED IN CANNING 

Blanching means boiling to remove objectionable flavors, to reduce 
bulk, to help kill bacteria. 

Cold dipping means dipping quickly into and out of cold water to 
make handling easier and to help kill bacteria. 

Scalding means dipping into hot water long enough to remove the 
skin. 

Processing or sterilizing means heating long enough to kill micro- 
organisms. 

To seal partially means that, in the case of spring top jars, only the 
first wire is put into place on the top. The wire should fit into the glass 
top with a click. If it is too loose to do this, the wire should be re- 
moved and bent so as to fit tighter. In the case of screw top jars the 
tops are screwed down fairly tight, then turned back about a quarter 
turn. \^acuum seal jars are partially sealed, when the top is placed and 
the clamp fitted down over it. 

CANNING DIFFICULTIES 

I . Rubbers popping out from beneath the top during sterilizing may 
be due to poor rubber, to too large a rubber or to too much pres- 
sure from the top. The top and rubber must be removed, a new 
rubber and top placed and the jar returned to the canner for about 
■five minutes. 

'2. Liquid is drawn out from the can, sometimes, when the water in 
the canner does not cover the cans at least i inch, or when there 
is not free circulation about the cans, or when the tops have been 
adjusted too loosely. 

3. Jars may break when there is not free circulation of water about 
the cans, when a cold can is placed in hot water, or a hot one in 
cold water, when a can is placed in a cool draft. 

4. Shrinkage of vegetables may be caused by insufficient blanching. 

5. An objectionable, strong flavor may be due to improper blanching 
and cold dipping. 

6. Bubbles that show after sterilization do not affect the keeping 
qualities of the product. 



10. 



Cloudy appearance of the liquid in the cans may be due merely to 
over-cooking which forces out the interior of the product or to very 
hard water. 

"Flat souring" of corn, peas, beans and asparagus, is a condition 
giving a slightly sour taste and objectionable odor, and may be due 
to allowing the vegetable to stand too long. As soon as each jar 
is filled it should be set in the canner so that cooking is not de- 
layed. It is probable that an unknown organism produces this con- 
dition and the souring may occur in spite of all precautions. 

Over-cooking may not always be objectionable but it is likely to 
happen with fruits which require a short time for sterilizing. 
Cooking is going on while the water is coming to the boiling point 
and if this time is prolonged some deduction should be made from 
the time given for sterilizing. 

Spoilage may result from use of old rubbers, from keeping jars in 
a place that has alternately cold and warm temperattures, from 
breaking the seal of jars by attempting to tighten the tops after the 
can has cooled and a vacuum been made. 



JUDGING CANNED FRUIT AND VEGETABLES 

The following score card shows the points by which canned pro- 
ducts are judged and the value which is given to each point on the basis 
of lOO. At contests, the judging is quite often done by appearance 
only. It is easy to see how this is unfair. If a food is not good to eat 
it is useless and the only way to test that quality is by tasting. The 
opening of the can sometimes reveals molds, fermentation or use of 
canning powders. If the committee in charge of the contest has this 
in mind, the time for the judging may be planned so that there is a 
minimum loss of food material, resulting from the opening of the 
cans. 

SCORE CARD FOR CANNED FRUIT 



Quality 


Perfect 
Score 


Score 

of 

Exhibit 


Color 


15 
60 
15 
10 




Flavor 




Condition of fruit 




Condition of syrup 










1 




I 


Total 


100 










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SCORE CARD FOR CANNED VEGETABLES 



Quality 


1 

Perfect 
Score 


Score 

of 
Exhibit 


Color 


1. 

65 
20 




Flavor 




Condition of vegetable 














Total 


100 









CANNING OF MEAT 

Occasionally, there may be on hand more meat than can be eaten 
fresh, and it is necessary to preserve it in some way. The most common 
methods are drying and smoking, curing in salt or cooking and cover- 
ing with hot fat. A method not so commonly used is canning, for 
which the directions follow. Meat may be canned as successfully as 
vegetables and it is a great convenience to have it ready for a stew, 
salad, a creamed dish, sandwich filling, or any use to which meat may 
be put. It is sometimes a saving as well as a convenience to can young 
cockerels that one may not want to feed for a long time. 

Method I. — The raw meat may or may not be freed from the bones 
and then packed into clean hot jars. Hot water and seasonings may 
or may not be added, but usually i teaspoon of salt is added to each 
quart can. Adjust the tops and rubbers so to seal partially. Place the 
jars in hot water, boil for 4 hours, remove jars and seal. 

Method 2. — Sear the meat in a hot oven, in hot fat or in boiling 
water, then steam or simmer it until it can be torn apart. Pack into 
clean, hot jars, fill the jars with the stock, add i teaspoon of salt to 
each quart, partially seal, place in hot water and boil for 3 hours. 

MANUFACTURERS OF CANNING EQUIPMENT 
Home and Club Cooperative Canning Outfits and Devices 

Pressure Cooker Company Denver, Colorado . 



Sprague Canning Machinery 
Co 

Henninger & Ayes Mfg. Co.. 
Northwestern Steel & Iron 
Works 

E. F. Kirwan & Company 

Modern Canner Company 

F. S. Stahl 

Farm Canning Machine Co. . . 
Home Canner Mfg. Company. 
Monarch Manufacturing Co... 
Phillips & Buttorff Mfg. Co.. 

Raney Canner Company 

Southern Evaporator Co 



Aluminum Steam Canners 
and Cookers. 



222 N. Wabash Ave., 

Chicago, Illinois . . ; . Steam Canner. 
Portland, Oregon Steam Canner. 



Eau Claire, Wisconsin. 
Baltimore, Maryland... 
Chattanooga, Tennessee 

Quincy, Illinois 

Meridian, Mississippi.. 
Hickory, N. Carolina.. 
Chattanooga, Tennessee 
Nashville, Tennessee... 
Chattanooga, Tennessee 
Chattanooga, Tennessee 



Steam Canner. 
Hot Water Bath 
Hot Water Bath 
Hot Water Bath 
Hot Water Bath 
Hot Water Bath 
Hot Water Bath 
Hot Water Bath 
Hot Water Bath 
Hot Water Bath 
and Evaporator. 



Canner. 
Canner. 
Canner. 
Canner. 
Canner. 
Canner. 
Canner. 
Canner. 
Canner 



Royal Home Canner Co Chattanooga, Tennessee Hot Water Bath Canner. 

Mrs. Hermine Baehr 29 Garrison Lane, Bal- 
timore, Maryland.... Tray fbr Boiler (3 in 1). 
Favorite Manufacturing Co. . . Tampa, Florida Water-seal Canner. 

Mechanical Seals and Sealers For Tin and Glass 

Burpee & Letson, Ltd South Bellingham, 

Washington Automatic Can Sealers 

and Tin Cans. 
Bowers Can Seal Company. . . 146 Summer St., Room 

44, Boston, Mass .... Automatic Can Sealers 
and Tin Cans. 
Crown Cork and Seal Co.... Baltimore, Md., Chi- 
cago, 111., San Fran- 
cisco, Calif., and 

other cities Glass Bottles, Caps, Milk 

Bottle Caps and Sealers 
for same. 

American Metal Cap Company Summit Street and 

Commercial Wharf, 

Brooklyn, N. Y Glass Jars, (metal caps). 

The Enterprise Mfg. Co. of 

Pa Philadelphia, Pa Bottle Cappers — from 3 

to 14 inches. 
Henninger & Ayes Alfg. Co.. 47 First Street, Port- 
land. Oregon Automatic Can Sealers 

and Tin Cans. 
Steamers 

Wilmot, Castle & Company... Rochester. New York.. Steaemers. 

Heating Devices 

Manning, Bowman & Company Meriden, Connecticut.. Alcoholite Stoves. 

Tin Cans, Glass Jars and Rubber Rings 

Kerr Glass Manufacturing Co. Sand Springs, Okla. . . . Economy Jars. 

Hazel- Atlas Glass Company.. Wheeling, West Va.... Glass-top Jars. 

Smalley Fruit Jar Company.. 26 Dock Square, Bos- 
ton, Mass Glass-top Jars. 

Boston Woven Hose & Rub- 
ber Co Boston, Mass Rubber Rings. 

Ball Bros. Glass Mfg. Co.... Muncie, Indiana Mason and Glass-top Jars. 

Ben Schloss San Francisco, Calif... Two-piece Top Jars. 

Philadelphia, Pa., New • 
York City, Chicago. 

American Can Company Illinois Tin Cans. 

Continental Can Company.... Chicago, Illinois Tin Cans. 

United States Can Company. . Cincinnati, Ohio Tin Cans. 

Southern Can Company Baltimore, Maryland. . . Tin Cans. 

Wheeling Can Company Wheeling, W^ Va Tin Cans. 

Tennessee Can Company Chattanooga, Tenn. . . . Tin Cans. 

Virginia Can Company Buchanan, Virginia ... Tin Cans. 

Griffith & Turner Company. . . Baltimore, Maryland... Tin Cans and General 

Equipment. 

A. K. Robins & Company Baltimore, Maryland... Tin Cans and General 

Equipment. 

Staunton Jar Corporation Ellicott Square, Buff- 
alo. New York Vacuum Seal Jars. 

Travis Glass Company Clarksburg, Virginia... Glass Jars. 

Chesapeake Glass Company... Baltimore. Maryland... Glass Jars. 

Thatcher Manufacturing Co.. Elmira, New York.... Glass Jars. 



10 



PRESERVING FOOD WITH SUGAR 



As long as the nation's supply of sugar warrants it, many fruits 
may be preserved by the making of jellies, preserves, marmalades, butter, 
jams and conserves. Jelly is made from the clear fruit juice. In 
preserves the fruit is kept as nearly whole as 'possible in a very thick 
sirup. . Marmalade, butters, jams are very similar and are made of 
the pulp and juice cooked until very concentrated. Conserves are mix- 
tures of fruit with nuts or orange peel or raisins. 

Beet sugar and cane sugar are chemically the same and it makes 
no difference W'hich is used. 

JELLY MAKING 

"Ideal fruit jelly is a beautifully colored, transparent, palat- 
able product obtained by so treating fruit juice that the resulting 
mass will quiver, not flow, when removed from its mold ; a product 
with texture so tender that it cuts easily with a spoon, and yet so firm 
that the angles thus produced retain their shape; a clear product 
that is neither sirupy, gummy, sticky nor tough ; neither is it brittle 
and yet it will break and does this with a distinct, beautiful cleveage 
which leaves sparkling faces." — Goldthwaite. 

Two requirements for the process of jelly making are the presence 
of acid and of pectin in the fruit juice. Some fruits naturally have 
too little acid, but, if they have pectin, some other acid fruit juice 
may be added. Fruits for jelly making should be gathered while a 
little under-ripe. Pectin is naturally abundant in some fruits and 
lacking in other. It is a good plan to test .the fruit juice to determine 
its amount of pectin. This may be done by adding to i tablespoon 
of the juice, extracted by cooking, i tablespoon of grain alcohol. Mix 
in a glass, let stand a few minutes and note the amount of jelly-like 
material which settles at the bottom. By performing this test along 
with a test of a juice which is known to yield good jelly and comparing 
the relative amounts of pectin, it is possible to determine the jelly- 
making quality of an unknown juice. The white inner skin of lemon 
and orange peel contains considerable pectin which may be extracted 
and added to fruit juices which are deficient in it. 

To extract pectin from oranges and lemons, cut or scrape the 
yellow outer peel, from the white inner skin. Remove the white por- 
tion and pass it thru a food grinder. Soak in sufficient water to cover. 
Let stand 2 or more hours. Cook slowly for about 2 hours. Strain 
thru a jelly bag. 

It is suggested that red haws, the fruit of the hawthorn tree, may 
be used for jelly. Combined with apple, wild cherries may be used. 

To extract juice from very juicy fruit, the fruit should be care- 
fully cleared and heated with just enough water to prevent burning. 
It may be mashed to help extract the juice. When thoroly heated 
thru, pour into a jelly bag and allow to drain. For a first quality 
jelly, the bag must not be squeezed. For a second quality jelly, the 



II 

pulp may again be heated with water and drained in the jelly bag. 
The bag may be squeezed, but some of the pulp will be forced thru 
and the jelly will be cloudy. If the bag is not squeezed and care is 
taken in proportioning the sugar, this second extraction will yield 
first quality jelly. The pulp may be passed thru a colander or strainer 
and used for a marmalade. 

To extract juice from less juicy fruits, the fruit should be care- 
fully cleaned and heated with enough water nearly to cover. Cook 
until thoroly heated thru. Drain as described above. The juice may 
be canned and made into jelly at some future time if desired. 

Proportion of Sugar and Fruit Juice. — The proportion of sugar 
to be used depends on the amount of pectin present — the more pectin, 
the more sugar to be used and vice versa. In general, the following 
proportions will be found successful : 

For I cup currant juice, use i cup sugar. 

For I cup green grape juice, use i cup sugar. 

For I cup red raspberry juice, use f cup sugar. 

For I cup blackberry juice, use f cup sugar. 

For I cup sour apple juice, use | cup sugar. 

For I cup crabapple juice, use 5 cup sugar. 

Too much sugar gives too soft a jelly. Too little sugar gives a tough 
jelly. No amount of boiling will correct a failure due to wrong pro- 
portion of sugar. If the jelly fails to set, more juice, which will 
add more pectin, may be added and a second cooknig may correct 
the mistake. This, however, will not be as satisfactory a jelly as it 
would have been if correctly proportioned the first time. 

The sugar is added hot to the juice after it has been boiling a few 
minutes. It is added hot so as not to cool down the temperature and 
thus prolong the cooking, and it is added after the boiling has continued 
for a few minutes, in order not to waste the sugar by frequent skim- 
mings or by the chemical change resulting from long boiling with 
acid. 

Time Required to Make Jelly. — The length of time the juice 
should be boiled varies but is usually from 8 to 10 minutes for currants 
and green grapes, and from 20 to 30 minutes for apples, raspberries 
and blackberries. In either case the sugar is added after the boiling 
is partially completed. 

The jelly is done when it drops from the edge of the spoon in 
two drops instead of one or it comes ofif in a sheet or fiake. It must 
be removed from the fire immediately and poured into glasses. 

Filling Jelly Glasses. — The jelly glasses must be hot and had 
best be setting in hot water when the jelly is poured into them. When 
the jelly is set, very hot paraffin should be poured on the top. The 
tin cover may then be placed and the glasses labelled. 

Typical Set of Directions for Jelly Making. — A typical direction 
for making (currant jelly) reads like the following: Clean the currants 
and place them in an enamel kettle with a very little water. Mash them 
with a potato masher. When they are thoroly heated thru pour into 
the jelly bag and drain without squeezing the bag. Measure the juice. 



12 

Test it for amount of pectin. If it seems to have the usual amount, 
measure out the sugar in the proportion of i cup of sugar to i cup of 
juice. Heat the sugar in the oven, taking care not to over-heat it. 
Boil the juice for about 6 minutes, skimming off the scum as it collects. 
Add the hot sugar and boil for about 2 minutes more, or until the jelly 
drops from the edge of the spoon in a sheet. Pour at once into hot 
glasses placed in a basin of hot water. 



The ecjuipment for jelly making 



Equipment for Jelly Making. 

should include : 
Enamel kettle 
Two basins 

Small sauce pan for paraffin 
Half pint glass measuring cup 
Wooden spoon 
Potato masher 
Paring knife 

Jelly bag or piece of cheesecloth 
Jelly glasses with covers 
Paraffin 
Labels 

Scoring or Judging of Jelly. — The quality of a jelly may be 
judged according to the following score card : 

SCORE CARD FOR JELLY 



Quality 



Perfect 

Score 



Score 

of 

Exhibit 



Flavor 

Color 

Consistency 
Texture . . . . 



50 
15 
20 
15 



Total 



Jelly Troubles. — The principal difficulties or troubles experienced 
in jelly making follows : 

1 . Tough jelly is the result of using too little sugar. 

2. Too soft a jelly is caused by using too much sugar or too little acid 
for the amount of pectin present. 

3. Gummy jelly is usually caused by over-cooking. 

4. Crystals usually indicate use of too much sugar. In the case of 
grapes the tartaic acid is sometimes deposited in crystals. 

5. Cloudiness is likely due to the presence of pulp. 

6. Mold appearing at the edge of the paraffin may be the result of 
not having the paraffin hot enough to kill molds that fell upon 
the surface while the jelly was becoming firm. 



13 

PRESERVES AND MARMALADES 

Strawberry Preserves. — Clean the berries and weigh them. 
Measure an equal weight of sugar into the preserving kettle. Add 
just enough water to dissolve the sugar and boil it 5 minutes or until 
a thick sirup is formed. Add the fruit and cook slowly until tender. 
Allow to cool partially, then turn into hot glasses. It is best to prepare 
only a small quantity at a time. 

This directions may be applied to cherries, peaches, watermelon 
rind, apples or other fruits. 

Rhubarb Conserve. — Clean the rhubarb and cut into i-inch 
lengths. To each cup of rhubarb add f cup of sugar. When the juice 
of the rhubarb has dissolved some of the sugar, place on the stove. 
Cook quickly, stirring constantly, to the consistency of jam. Add ^ 
cup chopped nut meats for each cup of conserve. Pour into hot glasses. 

This direction may be applied to plums. 

Raspberry Jam. — Clean the berries and measure them. For each 
pint of berries measure i-| cups of sugar. Add sugar to the berries. 
When the juice of the berries has dissolved some of the sugar, place 
on the stove. Cook quickly, stirring constantly, until quite thick. 

If the fruit has very many seeds, some of them may be removed 
by passing some of the fruit thru a sieve before cooking. 

This direction may be applied to gooseberries, and blackberries. 

Peach or Apple Butter. — Over-ripe fruit that is not decayed can 
be used in this way. It is also a way of using the pulp remaining after 
juice has been extracted for jelly. 

The fruit is cooked soft and passed thru a colander or sieve. To 
each cup of the pulp add f cup of sugar. Cook carefully, stirring 
often to prevent burning. 

If desired, the fruit may be flavored during the cooking with a 
little cinnamon, clove and mace tied in a cloth. 

Grape Maramalade. — Clean the grapes and remove from the 
stems. Separate the pulp from the skins. Cook the pulp until the 
seeds separate. Rub thru a sieve to remove seeds. Add skins to the 
pulp with sugar, using for each cup of pulp i cup of sugar. Cook 
carefully to prevent burning, stirring often. 

If desired, the fruit may be flavored during cooking with a little 
cinnamon, clove and mace tied in a cloth. 

Carrot and Canteloupe Preserves or Maramalade. — Carrots or 
canteloupes may be used for preserves or marmalade as apples or peaches 
would be used. 



14 



DRYING 



Drying is probably the oldest method of preserving foods and is 
to be recommended from the standpoint of economy of jars. With the 
evaporation of the water from any food product, the volume becomes 
much reduced. From the standpoint of flavor, dried products are 
desirable. 

When drying small quantities, the food material may be spread 
thinly upon china or enamel plates and placed in a slightly heated oven 
with the door open or may be exposed to warm outdoor air. Direct 
rays of a very hot sun are objectionable. It is.necessary to stir occa- 
sionally to have the product dry evenly and prevent growth of mold 
on the under surfaces. 

Care must be taken to protect the food from flies. A very thin 
cover keeps away insects and offers protection from dust. 

Sulphur fumes have been used to bleach the product, but their 
use is questionable and the federal regulation has strictly limited the 
amount of sulphur dioxide which may occur in commercial products. 
In the drying of products in the home, sulphur is unnecessary. 

When large quantities are to be dried, a commercial avaporator 
is helpful. It is arranged with several shelves in a container allowing 
circulation of warm air. Some may be used on a kitchen range and 
others are combined with a special fire box. 

A drying rack may be constructed by making a shelf of w'ire- 
screen cloth on a frame which allows free circulation of air and 
holds the cloth cover up from the fruit. The screen cloth should be 
covered with cloth so that the fruit does not come in direct contact 
with the metal. 

Dried foods are best stored in cloth sacks hung in a dry place. 

Dried Pumpkin. — Pare the pumpkin and cut into cubes. Boil 
till tender in very little water or cook by steaming. ]\Iash and spread 
in thin layers upon plates to dry. 

Dried Peas and Beans. — Allow the peas or be^ is to mature on 
the vines. Be sure they are dry before storing. Prepare the beans 
as for cooking. Spread on plates to dry. Stir frequently to prevent 
molding. 

Green peas may be shelled and dried in the same way. 

Dried Apples, Peaches, Apricots, Pears, Cherries. — Prepare th :> 
fruit a for cooking. Drain off excess juice. Spread on plates to dry 

Currants Dried With Sugar. — Use fully ripe currants. Add 
sugar in the proportion of i pound of sugar to 5 pound of currants. 
Heat till the currants rise to the top, then skim them off. Boil the sirup 
down until quite thick, then pour over the currants in shallow plates. 
Set to dry. 

Cherries and gooseberries could be dried in the same way. 



15 

Dried Com. — Dip the sweet corn into boiling water for just an 
instant. Cut the corn from the cob taking care not to cut too closely. 
Scrape the remaining portion from the cob. Spread in thin layers upon 
plates. 



For storing of common winter vegetables see Ohio State University 
Extension Bulletin — "Fresh Vegetables in Winter" — by R. B. Cruisk- 
shank. 

HOMEMADE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE DRIERS 

O. H. BENSON — U. S. Department of Agriculture. 

The ordinary sundrier, made up in the form of a cold frame, should have a 
window-sash top and ventilating holes or arrangements for the ready escape of the 
saturated air. The bottom of the drier should be tight so as to prevent the food 
products from absorbing moisture from the soil. The inside rack for holding 
the drying trays should be so made that there will be a free circulation of air 
around, under, and above the food product. The front and two ends should be 
covered with cheesecloth to provide for the circulation of air and to prevent dust 
and insects from entering the drier. Artificial heat may be applied by an alcohol 
stove or other device which will heat and force the circulation of air thru the 
drier, but will not saturate the food product with unpleasant odors. The drier 
may be provided with a metal bottom so as to be placed over an ordinary stove 
or wood fire. As a substitute for the applied heat beneath the drier, a fan system 
of some kind may be used for the purpose of stirring and irculating the air 
thru the drier. 

Another type of drier is one that has been made especially for use on the 
kitchen stove and may be called the home stove drier. It should be constructed 
largely of metal, contain a jacket and tiers of movable drying trays which can 
be readily interchanged to insure equal drying of all trays at one and the same 
time. The top should be left open to permit the free circulation of air. If con- 
venient to the housewife, it would be wise to provide a crane or arm arrangement 
attached by a clamp to the edge of the stove or range._ The drier hung by a rope 
or cord swung over a small wheel or puUy will make it possible to raise the drier 
and swing it off the stove while the stove is used for the preparation of a meal. 

A third type of drier may be made on the same plan as the ones described 
above, but instead of using sun, artificial heat or stove heat, the fan system should 
be used for drying the product. A small electric fan would be successful or other 
fan system similar to the ones used in automobiles or different types of fanning 
mills. It may be operated by hand and run only a few seconds several times 
during the day or may be attached to some motor power. A small boys' windmill 
mav be so constructed with a belt wheel and a cord belt, that it could be run 
from a house top down to the drier and run the little fan within the drying box. 

A fourth type of drier is the rectangular frame arrangement made of metal 
or wood or even of mesh wire. On one of the sides a door should be arranged 
to open on hinges thru which two, three, or four trays of food products may be 
placed. These trays may be hiing within the drier and should be so constructed 
as to permit them to revolve freely with the drier which is hung at both ends on 
an axle. An electric fan may be placed at the end and will force the dry air 
thru the drier and thus remove the filled air and make room for the dry air from 
without. 

The old-fashioned sun drier, which depends entirely on the sun to perform 
the work of drying, is usually constructed simply as a board tray or even a metal 
trv with mosquito netting over the same, and exposing the food product to the 
sun. This type does not provide for the sash cover nor does it provide for a free 
circulation of air around, under and over all parts of the food product. This 
method of drying is the least efficient of all and should not be used. 



i6 

In addition to the homemade devices there are a number of manufactured 
types of home driers. The following companies represent those known as manu- 
facturers of driers for the home. 

Stutzman Manufacturing Co., Ligonier, Indiana. 

Southern Canner and Evaporation Co., Chattanooga. Tenn. 

The Grange Sales Association, LaFayette BIdg., Philadelphia, Pa. 

Edward B. Fahrney, Waynesboro, Pa. 



PRESERVATION OF EGGS 



At the time of the year when there is an over-production of eggs, 
it is desirable to preserve them for use when they are not so abundant. 
A number of methods have been devised for keeping them, but the most 
satisfactory method is by the use of water glass. It is simple, efficient 
and inexpensive. 

Eggs that are selected for preserving should be collected daily from 
clean nests and should, in no case, be old, sun-baked, cracked or thin- 
shelled. Infertile eggs are the most desirable. 

The container may be any receptacle that is impervious or does not 
corrode. Glazed earthenware and galvanized containers are satisfac- 
tory. The following gives the sizes of jars with approximate capacity 
for eggs and the amount of water-glass solution required to cover the 
eggs: 

1 gallon — 40 eggs, 3^ pints of solution. 

2 gallon — 80 eggs, 7^ pints of solution. 

3 gallon — 120 eggs, lof pints of solution. 

4 gallon — 160 eggs, I4-| pints of solution. 

5 gallon — 200 eggs, 18 pints of solution. 
10 gallon — 400 eggs, 36 pints of solution. 

Water glass as bought on the market is usually in the sirup form 
and is chemically known as sodium silicate. The best proportion for 
making the solution is i cup of water glass to 10 cups of water that 
has been boiled and cooled. The eggs need not be put into the solution 
all at one time, but as they are gathered from day to day. 

Eggs are sometimes preserved in this way for commercial purposes, 
but they must be sold as storage, not fresh eggs. After being in the 
solution for some time the shell becomes smooth, as the pores are filled 
with the silicate. When these eggs are boiled the shell should be punc- 
tured with a pin at the blunt end, else they will break. In all instances, 
they should be washed before using. 



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